Vanilla is a very popular and commonly used spice that has been used to flavor baked goods and other food items for close to 1000 years. The vanilla pod actually grows on a vanilla orchid, otherwise botanically referred to as Vanilla V planifolia, or V fragrans. The pod (aka vanilla bean) is made up of a pod wall - within which sits resin-secreting cells and seeds. The seeds are imbedded in “a sticky resin of sugars, amino acids, and the storage place of vanillin” (2). Vanillin is the primary flavor component within the bean. The entire cured pod and/or its contents can be used in baking and cooking.
The vanilla orchid is an exotic plant that was first used by the Totonac Indians along the eastern coast of Mexico as many as 1000 years ago. The Totonac Indians fiercely protected the plant as their own until they were conquered by the Aztec people. Later, the Aztecs blended vanilla into the earliest version of a chocolate beverage. The History of the New World, which was written in 1564 by the Milanese Girolamo Benzoni, described the Aztec tradition of the consumption of this cacao drink. The drink included roasted cacao beans ground into a paste, various spices, plus vanilla and water. In fact, he quoted the drink as being “more suitable for pigs than men”! (2). Later, vanilla beans were brought back to Spain by Hernando Cortez after the Spanish defeated the Aztecs in 1521. “The first Europeans to taste vanilla were the Spanish, who gave it its name; vainilla is the Spanish diminutive for “sheath” or “husk” (from the Latin vagina), (2). It wasn’t until 1602 that Queen Elizabeth’s apothecary Hugh Morgan suggested that it be used as a flavoring in and of itself – which is the most commonly understood use of vanilla in the modern day culinary world.
Currently, vanilla is only grown in 4 major parts of the world: Mexico, Tahiti, Madagascar and Indonesia. Interestingly enough, the flavors of each variety tend to reflect the general vibe of the region. Mexico only exports a small percentage of vanilla due to its need for producing higher grossing crops. This type of vanilla is described as sweet, creamy, smooth and – fittingly – spicy! Caution should be taken when purchasing Mexican vanilla beans and extract; tests in recent years have brought various supplements and additives to light. Tahitian vanilla actually grows from a different genus than Vanilla V planifolia, called Pompona Vanilla, or V. pompona. Characteristics of this variety are flowery, fruity, anise-like and smooth. Madagascar Vanilla is cultivated along the islands of Madagascar, Comoro, Reunion and Seychelles. These islands produce the commonly misunderstood ‘Bourbon Vanilla’. Here, the name “Bourbon” bears no reference to Kentucky Bourbon. Rather, it refers to the French family that owned the islands in the 1800s, named the Bourbons. Vanilla experts consider this to be the highest quality pure vanilla available on earth with attributes such as creamy, smooth, sweet and mellow. Finally, Indonesia is the second largest producer (below Madagascar) of vanilla beans. These beans are characterized as woody and astringent, with a fragrance that is indicative of a high ratio of antioxidants. Vanilla is used in kitchens all over the world, however Europe and The United States account for almost all consumption.
Authentic vanilla is expensive: it’s second only to saffron, which is the most expensive spice on the planet! Like saffron, the reason pure vanilla is so expensive is because of the tremendous amount of labor that goes into its cultivation. The orchids thrive in tropical regions, most commonly as a vine climbing up a naturally existing tree. They are also encouraged to grow along poles in plantations. Climate, geography and geology all play a role in the cultivation of the vine. Harvesting occurs once a year, 7-8 months after they begin flowering and taking on a yellowish hue. Similar to the way in which a winemaker chooses the exact day to harvest his grapes, the vanilla farmer must harvest his crop at the exact right point in time. If it’s harvested too early, the vanillin content is too low and they aromas have not yet developed. If they continue to grow for too long, the bottom ends run the risk of bursting open and becoming a “split-pod” which is automatically sent to the crop which will be used to make vanilla extract (1).
Step one of the treatment process entails clipping off the bean. Next, the pod is exposed to extreme heat by way of the sun or an artificial light source, and then wrapped to ‘sweat’ the pod and help the sugars develop. After that the pods are straightened and smoothed by hand, and then cured or aged to help further develop the vanilla essence. The aging time varies per region, for instance “in Madagascar, vanilla curing takes 35-40 days, while the Mexican process lasts several months,” (2). In the end, the pod can be used as is, or chopped and treated in a water/alcohol solution to become vanilla extract. Imitation vanilla is readily available in all parts of the world. Imitation vanilla takes much less time and money to create, therefore it is much less than is pure vanilla. Imitation/artificial vanilla typically contains vanillin, however it is synthetic. This type of vanillin can be produced synthetically from lignin (a naturally occurring chemical found in wood) and from the pulp used in the making of paper. Vanilla flavoring is alcohol free, whereas imitation and pure vanilla must contain at least 35% alcohol. It is for these reasons and more that 50% of the United States and 25% of Europe uses imitation vanilla in lieu of real vanilla.
The forms of vanilla available on the market include the bean, pure vanilla extract, vanilla powder, and vanilla paste. All of the above forms can be found in your local grocery store with the exception of vanilla powder and vanilla paste. These can be found in specialty food stores such as Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table. You can be sure your vanilla product is of good quality by making sure to purchase it from well-known brands, which distribute products from the 4 main regions listed above. The vanilla bean itself is subject to grading. Grading, which falls into A/1, B/11, and C/111, is based upon length, as there is a direct correlation between length and vanillin content of the bean. When using vanilla paste, 1 Tablespoon of paste is equivalent to 1 vanilla bean or 1 Tablespoon of pure vanilla extract. When using vanilla powder, be sure to read the list of ingredients listed on the back of the product. The powder is made of ground pods, which may or may not be blended with sugar; therefore care should be taken when selecting the right powder for each recipe.
The application of vanilla extract and the vanilla bean should be handled differently for various methods of cooking. In a cookie dough or cake batter, the vanilla should be added during the creaming process as the flavor, being particularly fat soluble, firmly adheres to the fat molecules during these time. In sauces, syrups, beverages and other wet applications, the bean should be steeped for a minimum of 30 minutes to extract maximum flavor and seeds. When adding it to food decorations and/or confections you should add it along with the fat in the recipe. Vanilla can also be added to savory dishes such as lobster, pureed vegetables and rice to bring out the nutty, buttery softness of a dish. Finally, vanilla can be used in lieu of stronger flavorings such as almond, pistachio, and caramel if a subtler flavor is preferred.
My first encounter with vanilla was when I started teaching myself how to bake sugar cookies with the Fanny Farmer Cookbook at the age of 12. I had no idea what it was – and how very important it was for the overall taste of the sugar cookie. Around this time I also experienced my first aha! moment with vanilla. I opened the bottle of extract, poured some into a spoon and took a sip! I figured it must taste just as delicious as it smelled – boy was I sorry! Vanilla extract alone is extremely bitter and not at all like what you would expect after smelling it. I really enjoyed conducting research on this subject because it’s such an under-appreciated spice given the amount of time and labor that goes into its cultivation, and because it has such a fascinating history. It’s truly an ingredient to be treasured.
Bibliography
1. "Dessert orchid." Food Manufacture June 1995: 20. Culinary Arts Collection. Web. 27 Aug. 2011.
2. McGee, Harold. McGee on Food & Cooking: an Encyclopedia of Kitchen Science, History and Culture. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2004. Print.
3. Case, Frances. 1001 Foods You Must Eat before You Die. North Sydney, N.S.W.: Ebury, 2008. Print.
4. Patent, Greg. Baking in America: Traditional and Contemporary Favorites from the past 200 Years. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2002. Print.The Best Recipe
5. "The History of Vanilla." Nielsen-Massey Vanillas - The Vanilla Specialists. Web. 02 Sept. 2011. .http://www.nielsenmassey.com/vanillafunfacts.htm
6. "The History of Vanilla." Nielsen-Massey Vanillas - The Vanilla Specialists. Facts and Questions. Web. 02 Sept. 2011. .
